Kissing the Eyes of Music
by Cev
Summary: AU, VH: Van and Hitomi, two very different college students at Adante Arts Academy find themselves rudely rooming together after a questionable fiasco. Love and hilarity insue as the drama and music plays out, sparks fly, and Dilandau rages!
1. Song One: Tragically Joyful

**Think about it! The Esca crew going to a music school! Now this is great thinking, huh, huh? I'm excited, as you all know anyway. I know it might seem slow at first, but bear with it. yes, there are VH scenes in this chapter. So don't worry, you'll get your fluff in this chapter.**

**This will certainly give me something to do while I ponder on "Sing A Lullaby".**

**Ummm….enjoy? Don't forget to review. Oh, and I know this chapter won't be the best of all, but it's something very good to consider, I think, when it gets going. I just wanted to get this out to see how you guys would react.**

**Anyway. . .**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of thee characters or likenesses which belong to the series and movie, Escaflowne. Also, the song is "Let's Get it Started" by The Black Eyed Peas.**

* * *

**Φίλημα των ματιών της μουσικής** /

**Baciare Gli Occhi Di Musica** /

**Kissing the Eyes of Music**

Song One: Tragically Joyful, in the key of F

* * *

Lashes locked down in concentration, the smooth tempo that lazily extracted the light of day and magnified the moment's tenderness. All things involved upon the staff cooled her mind. 

The piano lay back peacefully in her apartment, singularly standing in the middle of the warm, colorful, although sparse, room. And because she was the single resident of the small apartment above the café, and had no objections, the bright light of day was filtered by no windows, but welcomed with open glass of the balcony the encompassed one whole side of the flat. Passerbys on the busy streets of the capitol could always count on the melodies wafting across the delicious smells of the café during the late afternoon, warming hearts and causing time to pause always just slightly, before they moved on, thoughts still lingering.

Her hands glided through the keys with such grace and movement, that even though she messed up, even though wrong notes pierced holes through perfection, her relaxed and watery movements, almost languid, it seemed in this impermeable hot weather, pulled everything together-even the mistakes-into one whole.

Her black, noble piano was rooted to the cool southern stone of the apartment, the Spanish terrace open for the balcony that graced over a small but well-known part of the city, almost a bohemian place, everywhere graced with ringlets of green, golden leaves of ferns, and the haunting beauty of spiraling, mangled oaks and mesquites. And as Hitomi played her life-story, so tempting and chaotic, tragically joyful, she couldn't help to think, as she breathed in the deep moisture than always permeated the air of the southern capitol of the southernmost part of New England, how much she really loved this boisterous, original, rural big-city. Every modern convenience of the world, every skyscraper carved from an architectural artist, was pleasure to the eyes, even the muck and grime pleased her.

How she loved this place.

* * *

-- "The Tragically Joyful", in the key of F

* * *

Hitomi's gaze lifted from her reverie, her eyes finally finding the rays of color in reality, rather than the expanse of highlighted black behind her lids. 

She had stopped the music, letting it ring slightly, but then, taking her foot the pedals, it was rendered complete. She sighed contently, always the pleasure of finished chords making her feel complete.

Hitomi looked to the corner of the room, where in it lay, cradled like a small child, a full violin displayed in its red-velvet case. Always displayed, but never played. How it was her sister.

Her contentment was dimmed, and a watered tint of grey colored over Hitomi's green eyes, like the disruption of silt underneath the surface of emerald-mirrored Mexican underground rivers. She leaned back, her hands grasping to the edge of the black piano bench. She looked up expectantly, as if wishing for an angel to materialize from the rich southern air, pass through the Spanish-tiled ceiling, and embrace her with love, filling her face with images of angels and wings and feathers, pure as the Madonna.

Hitomi turned her head ever so slightly to the violin.

Her father's image rushed through her mind. Green eyes that she saw through now, misplaced brown hair in an endearing sort of way.

Bare feet took diminutive steps towards the case, the inviting coolness of the warm-colored flagstone touching her dancer's feet with every light step, as a kiss upon each moment forward.

The neck, curved inward like all string instruments, seemed like the stem of some great and wondrous plant. It was hard for Hitomi to imagine such a strange a beautiful instrument was once just wood, just horse hair, just some ore material.

Her long, thin fingers grasped the thing around its neck like a mother, and Hitomi found no difficulty in pulling it up to her neck, her fingers placed in F, the long bow in her right hand. She cupped the instrument in her crook, lovingly pressing her cheek to it before assuming proper position. Placing the bow perpendicular to the violin's strings, she halted for a brief moment, her only hesitation.

And then, in a motion that moved her wrist like a gentle knob, and her arm a graceful poise of elegance, she gently pulled the horsehair bow across the strings.

It was just one note.

She pushed the bow up, only reaching up a note half-step higher than the first.

Eyes tearing, she continued.

And her usual passerby was slightly moved, slightly astounded.

It had been a long time since anyone had heard a string instrument singing out the tragic joyfulness of life from that balcony.

* * *

A little red lipstick, a slight curl under. Hell yeah. What a blow job could do for a girl's hair. 

Big black boots.

Long, _blonde_ hair.

Oh, she was too sweet…with her jet-black stare.

Millerna stood at her door, legs shoulder-width apart, hands on hips, almost in dominatrix form, her legs bent in that high-heeled-shoe kind of way, the bend that bends the road, the bend that bends the boys.

She took one last firm look in the mirror and smiled, yes, seductively, to herself even, before she shut her door decisively.

* * *

Hitomi stared blankly at the mirror in front of her, her annoyance peaking. 

This was her beloved capitol: A charm of music in the light of a green day. A dark, neon-sparkling party at night on The Strip.

Why would she ever agree to something like this? She tugged on her right ear, annoyed, still scrutinizing herself in the mirror. But her ego got the best of her.

She _did_ look good. A whole lot better than a few years ago, that was for sure. A WHOLE LOT BETTER.

Not-Too-Short black halter, tight, comfortably worn jeans, high heeled boots, a white-and black African scarf covering most of her hair, and trailing down to hang at her shoulder. Always original, but never showing too much of anything except her dancer's arm and deep neck, decorated only by a pink pendant and silver cross.

But Hitomi didn't want to go, even though she liked putting on the clothes and the make-up and the heels. Yes, pouring on the image of "I'm going somewhere and doing something" was great. But…actually going there and doing those things again? She'd sit, as always, stubbornly sipping on something too strong for her own throat, in the very same seat the whole night, usually in the back, denying to dance among. . . the. . . orgy.

And it wasn't right, that she was there! She should have never gone the very first time. So why did she continue going? Millerna was going to be the holy death of her. Hitomi made the holy cross against her head and shoulders in a quick, practiced way. She placed her hands together, gathering the cross that lay beneath her shirt into her praying hands.

Perhaps she was fighting back from her grandmother's society by using Millerna's secret one. And perhaps she was also fighting Millerna's night society with her grandmother's proper one. She had been stuck in the middle of many things, but this was quite different than anything else. What would a normal person do, being able to interchange between social lives so easily?

But really, what was the purpose?

Hitomi looked longingly at her piano; the tall windows that lined the back wall of her small, open-spaced apartment closed and cover-drawn, making her beloved keys seem lonely and caged.

Why couldn't the sun always shine, so that she wouldn't have to go out into the dark, dark night?

And actually spend time with her friends, like she wanted? Why was that such a problem?

* * *

"Hitomi-ku, why are you looking at me like that?" 

Hitomi was glowering at Millerna, who was leaning too casually against the taxi. The lights above them wavered hesitantly, the dark, heavy pressure of the humid air leaning in. Hitomi was not pleased.

"It has occurred to me, _Milly_, that we don't need to do this at all! They don't _need_ to see us!" Hitomi hissed out.

Millerna rudely and very clumsily grabbed, shoved, and sat Hitomi down into the taxi cab. "Hitomi, don't be anti-social."

"I'm a brooding musician. I'm supposed to be that way."

"But, Hito-ka," Millerna answered, deciding not to notice that Hitomi rolled her eyes at yet another degenerating nickname, "How will you ever have fun in your life if all you do is go to the academy and play your music, twirl around in pink, then come home and play your music, while twirling around in pink? The only people that will ever know you are your aunt and uncle that run the café. And that's only because they bring you your food upstairs."

"I have a schedule. I fill it, and the rest I leave for nothing. And I like it that way." Hitomi looked out the window defiantly, biting her bottom lip in a grimace. No one understood her love for the staff. Five lines, four spaces, everything below and above and in between. Music moved her life, imbedded into her very soul. It did not classify- it determined. It determined her character, her love, and her actions with everyday people.

The glass reflected her expression, and Millerna could see.

The curly-haired woman sat closer to Hitomi, and with the strength of a million men, placed her arms gently around her friend. Like a cat, Millerna snuggled her way into Hitomi's heart.

Slouching over, Hitomi rubbed her eyes. She sighed deeply in yet another lost battle to her friend's ambitious charm. She raised her tanned face so that her forehead rested grimly against the back of the passenger's seat.

"As long as Dilandau is there. I don't want to be bored all night." She mustered out.

Millerna smiled triumphantly, clapping her hands together in victory. Her dimples receded more as her smile widened.

"Oh, don't be so damned smug!"

"Hey, young lady, watch your language!"

Hitomi laughed, she couldn't help it- she was always laughing with her friends. It was a blessing, and it never ended.

"And I don't twirl around in pink!"

All that answered her was Millerna's twinkling laughter.

* * *

They sat on the second floor in cigarette darkness, over-looking the dance floor, shaded and highlighted in the blue neon lights of the bar. There were few that she knew, and many, many more that she had never seen before, all lounging around a large table. Millerna seemed to know all of them, and if she didn't, woe to them, because she would immediately give them a nick-name, mostly based on their appearance. 

Hitomi couldn't have felt more out of place. Why should she feel so insecure here? Why couldn't she always be in her element, completely calm, completely in control, and totally confident, as in the attitude she immediately regained every time she was behind a stand full of music, every time her fingers pressed down on the contrasting piano keys, or pressed down on thin strings? She couldn't offer any useful knowledge or conversation in this dark, high-energized world that belonged to her friends. However much fun she might have here, however much she laughed and danced and drank, she did not belong there.

It was something she knew only herself, because everyone else beyond and near her accepted that she was there, non-obtrusively.

How was this possible? She was supposedly a part of a high-class family, though she'd thankfully lowered the way she stood out by coming to the academy. And now that she was pushed into the high-rise socialite underworld with her sister in rebellion, Millerna, Hitomi couldn't have felt more alone.

She really did end up, stubbornly, with a drink too strong for her throat. Even so, she drank it defiantly, no matter how it burned. Little by little, she kept a straight face while downing the vile hard liquor. Did people like to drown themselves in this crap?

"And so, I said, 'hey man, you've got nothing to worry about, because if you're going to get anywhere in life, it's all about the hair!' And while he was laughing, trying to smoke the cigarette, his hair is so fucking long, that it caught on fire from the cigarette!" He flailed his arms about, recounting the scene, "It was the worst smell in the world! He was so frantic, he just ran around in circles hitting his head as hard as he could to get rid of the fire," He mock-squealed, "He put it out just in time, but ended up bald, anyway!" Dilandau roared at the end of his story, slapping Hitomi on the back, "I mean, can you believe it? Fucking funniest thing I saw all last year."

While the others laughed, Hitomi choked, coughing because of the impact, and was lifted from her reverie.

"Oh, shit- sorry, Hitomi." Dilandau mumbled awkwardly, lifting her hands and trying to clean up the ice.

"It's okay," Hitomi said, fumbling to get her glass to stay up, Dilandau's arms getting in her way. "Now – who's this guy you're talking about, you pyromaniac?"

"Allen Schezar, the only man I've ever met that has been that obsessed over his hair and _not_ been gay," Dilandau answered, leaning back again with a cocky expression, receiving another uproar from the table. Hitomi laughed, too. Dilandau was always loud and hilarious, always the center of entertainment.

His bright red eyes twinkled mischievously at Hitomi when a loud bass line came up in the club. Hitomi looked up at her friend warily.

_And the bass keeps runnin' runnin' an' runnin' runnin' an' runnin' runnin' an' runnin' runnin' . . ._

"What . . .?" She asked, but was distracted when Millerna sat up abruptly in her chair.

"I love this song! Let's go dance!" She shouted, and almost every guy rose from the table, following many others. By the time Millerna finally chose some lucky guy, Dilandau was already dragging Hitomi behind him.

"Dilandau, you know I'm not a good dancer," Hitomi said, her voice close to a whine.

"Yeah, but you're better than that pole I was dancing with last night," Dilandau retorted, his eyebrows wiggling.

Hitomi gave a mock face of disgust, "You whore."

Dilandau turned Hitomi around when they entered the middle of the mass of people dancing in front of the stage, finding her waist with his arm, moving with the fast music steadily, "Oh, you know it," he drawled out suggestively. "Besides, miss ballerina, you're a liar!" Hitomi laughed, just moving with the flow.

When she was with Dilandau, with Millerna not far off, Hitomi almost felt like she had a connection here.

* * *

"Dryden, _really_. . . don't you think this is going a bit _too_ low, even for me?" 

"Allen, I'm desperate. Desperate and totally uncultured when it comes to this type of thing. It's perfect."

"Didn't you say that about the academy, as well?"

"I didn't think the place would be so huge, or that I'd be so busy all the time."

"I wouldn't think someone trying to master piano, trombone, flute, music theory, and music history all at once would have much to do," Allen quipped cheerfully, checking his hair in the visor's mirror.

"Very funny." Dryden drove speedily, a glowering look about him. Allen simply paid heed to his seatbelt, swishing with the jeep and moving languidly, a little too indifferent. "I was hell-bent on finding some girl there," Dryden smiled to himself, "How was I to know at the time how much I really loved music?"

"Your pops just wanted to get you _cultured_," Allen said, drawing his voice out with sarcasm with the last word.

"Too bad he got more than he bargained for," Dryden smirked, taking a right _way_ too fast for an old Wrangler.

"Look, I don't plan spending the whole night there." Allen gripped the bar and dashboard in a moment of panic for his life when Dryden took another hard right. "Stop doing that!"

"Doing what?" Dryden asked, looking at Allen innocently, quite interested in what the frantic blonde had to say.

A car horn let out a shrill honk, and Allen took the wheel and swerved them on the right side of the road that they were _supposed_ to be driving on. "Watch the road!" He yelled, more from fear for his life than anger.

Allen sighed of relief when they arrived at the parking lot for the club, hastily making it out of the Jeep. Why oh WHY did the DPS ever allow Dryden Fassa to have a license all those years ago? Didn't they realize that there were other people that loved life out there? "We can't spend all night here," Allen said after getting used to being on non-moving ground, "Sunday I have to go down and see my sister. She complains that we never see each other, even though we all go to the same school."

"Well," Dryden pondered, his thoughtful brown eyes gleaming, "It _is_ a big school."

When the two friends stepped past the old door, the place was more than what they expected. All blue neon lights breaking through a hazy darkness that permeated all clubs: the smoky haze of mixed tobacco. Bars lined the walls with one wall reserved for a DJ, the dance floor spread out as wide as possible and raised slightly above the regular floor. One look up and he saw two other stories of balconies looking over the dance floor, the simple lines of metal and blue etched glass connecting each level with graceful stairs.

_A dangerous thing to do_, Allen thought, though smiling with dark amusement. _Any drunken dancer would just go down like a timber. . . _

Allen looked to Dryden, who, with his mouth slightly agape, roamed the crowds with his brown eyes without shame. Allen smiled in exasperation, "I'm going to the bar," he said, but was sure Dryden either didn't hear or didn't care, because all he received as an answer was a light, gruff "mm".

* * *

"Hitomi!" Dilandau shouted through the pierce of the music. The sandy-blonde haired woman continued to dance, even as the red-eyed albino squeezed her waist for attention. Dilandau leaned down to Hitomi's ear and repeated his call, just as loud. 

She stopped dancing, and looked up at him painfully, clutching her ear, "OW!"

Dilandau smiled ruefully, and clapped her around the shoulder, leaning down again but this time not shouting, "Do you want something to drink?"

Hitomi smiled when he released her and moved back, and she nodded, "Can you get me some water? I'm really parched," She yelled. Dilandau nodded and led her from the dance floor, leaving her at a thin couch while he headed to the bar.

* * *

Van pulled long on the slim cigarette, looking through the building with thinning interest. It was dark and crowded, of course, as all clubs were. Lights flashed and music thumped upon his chest in the bass beat. As his small group of three paused at the entrance, Van looked over at Gaddess who was on his right. 

Gaddess quirked a smile, "It could work," He said, "All we need to do is talk to the manager . . ."

Van nodded, and gave a lop-sided grin to his friend, "Maybe the pay will be better this time?"

Gaddess rolled his eyes with annoyance, smiling, "Like you're so hard up for money, Fanel. Jesus Christ!"

Van chuckled a little, and then turned his attention to the girl that was clamped to his side. Gaddess noticed the change in attention and frowned at the girl, his expression one of . . . distaste. He turned into the crowd without another word, and Van watched him go without a sound as the dark-haired woman squeezed him even tighter.

"Oh! I haven't been here in so long!" She squeezed him by flattening her palms erotically around his middle. Van noted with slight vexation that her hands kept on getting lower and lower as the night progressed. Her body, squeezed into a very short, very black dress, pressed up against his side as she pushed him in a certain direction. "Let's go get some drinks!" Her voice was high and chirpy.

Van allowed her to pull him along, his actions indifferent to anything she did. Kira was beautiful, Van knew, with her long, wavy black hair, her long, long legs . . .

She was witty and sharp, too; there were many that would want her attention. But Van felt nothing for her except instinctual attraction, and therefore her gave no action that would mean anything, either. Van had long ago given up, women were women, and that was it: legs, hair, breasts, and a vagina. Love equals Lust in this world, and if she wanted him to be something, he wouldn't deny her, but he sure as hell wouldn't fulfill her, either. In the end, all of these girls were the same. Sure, they were important. Sure they meant something. But not to him.

The whole term 'Falling in Love' was a joke. Not that it was unreal, or possible, but the idea that people made it out to be was quite impossible.

Fine. If they wanted it that way, he didn't care. Van wasn't staying in New England forever, anyway. They could dream all they wanted; he wasn't going to lead on.

Kira leaned over on the bar suggestively, and immediately a bartender zipped up to her dainty side, ready and very willing, "What'll it be?" the man asked, leaning in as well, his eyebrow raising in a receiving expression. Van allowed himself a small grin, the bartender didn't notice him behind Kira.

"Strawberry Daiquiri."

The bartender smiled and winked, "Coming right up."

"Oh, wait, Van, what do you want?" She asked, turning her face around and once the bartender saw the man behind her, his face changed from one of hopeful prospect to sheer disappointment.

Van was about to answer, but his beer order was cut off sharply by the echoing screech of two voices:

**"YOU!"**

Van raised his brow in surprise as he recognized one of the 'yelling people'. Dilandau Albatou, in all of his silver-haired, red-eyed, albino glory, was held at freezing point with a long, menacing finger, shaking at him in muscular anger. The finger's owner? A tall, blonde man, his hair long and frame built, with nice, neat attire. Perhaps the kind of guy moms would cheer for when daughters brought him home for dinner? Van's thought stream didn't last for long, because the blonde man took his chance in the moment of surprise and moved in to lunge at Dilandau.

Soon the whole club became involved as Allen chased after Dilandau through the dance floor, pushing people aside. A patterned blur rushed past Van just as the dance beat cut off, and the crowd voiced their displeasure with a colorful array of emotion. Luckily, the patterned blur seemed to have some effect on the two men.

"Dilandau!" Hitomi called, running after the man. She managed to get in front of him when the blonde man she didn't know had cornered the albino against the DJ's tables. She held on to Dilandau's arm, "Don't make a fool of yourself," she warned. Dilandau rolled his eyes and gently nudged her aside.

"Hitomi, I can handle myself."

Van shoved his way through to see what was happening, leaving Kira alone and undoubtedly confused. Who was this girl, and why was she protecting Dilly, of all people? Was she Dilandau's girlfriend?

Hitomi didn't let his shove deter her, and she stepped in Allen's path as he drew back his fist, glaring at Dilandau with his blazing blue eyes, "Wait! Stop it, both of you!"

"I'm going to murder you, Dilandau!" And Allen took another step forward.

"That's not very fair, Allen, I never did anything to you!" Dilandau said, smirking ever so smugly. He tried to move Hitomi out of they way, but she seemed a little out of it the minute he mentioned the blonde's name.

"You lying BASTARD!" Allen moved in for the kill, enraged by the albino's comment, but Hitomi's voice stopped him.

"Wait…wait…you're…" Hitomi looked at Allen with recognition

"Huh?" Allen looked down at her as if she had just appeared.

Dilandau smiled wickedly, "Allen, you've got nothing to say for once?"

"_YOU'RE_ Allen Schezar?" Hitomi asked, her hands on her hips.

"Yes."

"…"

"What?" The blonde asked incredulously.

"BWUHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" Hitomi doubled over in laughter, and then looked up at Dilandau, who smiled and nodded, chuckling himself. Millerna also laughed, along with most of the people that were sitting at the table when Dilandau had recounted his experience with Allen. Allen lowered his arm from its position, now very annoyed.

"You told her?" Allen asked in monotone.

"Yes." Dilandau became mock serious, growing taller, biting back a giggle with a deep frown.

"You've told everyone?"

"Yes…" A grin formed on Dilandau's placid face.

"You BASTARD!"

"YAGH!" Up and over the turn tables, Allen roughly pushed Hitomi out of his way to get to Dilandau. The DJ scampered out of the way as they continued the chase towards the exit, Dilandau's only hope of escape.

Hitomi made no sound as she lost her balance, taking a few ill-placed, wobbly steps backwards, trying to stay up, but then lost her balance for good. She cried out in anticipation of hitting the hard floor.

She blinked, encased by a warm, pliantbody.

For it wasn't the ground that she met but a pair of strange, dark red-brown eyes, that looked down at her for just one moment before the owner of those eyes pulled her up with his strong arms. His right arm, which had been the one to catch her as she was propelled towards him, was still gripping around her shoulder blades, cupping Hitomi's right side, bringing her body in to cradle into his in a very unusually affectionate way. Her cheeks were softly tinted pink when she looked back up at him when he didn't let go. Van looked down at her again, his unusual eyes locking with her green ones. His confident, cold expression unnerved her. He was a robot, cold and unmoving as steel. Hitomi quickly stood on her own, backing away slightly, and Van released his arm without a change in emotion. The whole course of events that had happened when she fell only took a few seconds, but a lot of things had passed between the two in that short time.

Hitomi was slightly taken aback when a beautiful, dark-haired woman appeared from the gathered crowd, running up to the man that had caught Hitomi, slinking her arms around his waist and looking up at him with pouting concern. Her body was pressed close to him, and Hitomi twisted her face in a look of disgust. "Honey, are you okay?"

"I told you, don't call me that," Van said icily, his voice thick with an accent Hitomi didn't recognize. Hitomi's expression deepened. He treated the girl like that, when she looked like his lover? Van looked at Hitomi, catching her disapproving gaze. Hitomi washed her face from emotion when she noticed he was looking at her, but Van had seen it. The girl locked to him glared at Hitomi, her eyes flashing with anger, like warning signals, fire alarms.

"Are you okay?" She asked again, looking up at Van, her voice sweetly betraying her eyes.

"I'm fine," He looked away from Hitomi reluctantly. His expressionless face confused Hitomi. She felt like she was intruding on the two, so she turned around, finding Millerna by her side as she jogged towards the exit where, apparently, the muscle men of the club made sure the two trouble makers were not inside.

"Come on, let's leave. Let's go back to your place." Hitomi heard the girl say behind them. They seemed like they were also following to the outside parking lot, where Dilandau and Allen ran to.

Van picked up his pace, worried about his friend outside. No one could tell by his body language, but he was still concerned. Dilandau took things too far many times, and when the man's temper flared up, it wasn't a good thing. He had experienced this first-hand.

"No, I've got to get Dilandau."

And he left her there in her high heels as he finally broke into a run for the exit of the club. The action was over inside. Everyone that had been watching resumed their movements; with the music back on (the DJ cool and sheepishly recomposed) their attention was grabbed by something more exciting. The little black-haired temptress in her little black dress fumed, left on the dance floor alone. Her expression didn't change as Dryden and Gaddess ran past her as well, obviously going in the same direction Van had.

She lifted her nose as a man near her asked her to dance, and she complied. She could go and visit the handsome brute later in the night, anyway…

Hitomi rounded the corner with a quicker pace, skidding and having to slide around using her hand as support on the ground for balance. She almost fell, again, but the dark-haired machine that had caught her earlier helped to pull her back up while also running beside her, not missing one running step.

"Stop falling down!" He yelled back at her as he quickly gained speed and was lost in the cars, moving to the back of the lot.

Hitomi hissed in annoyance, forcing her legs to move faster. That guy was starting to really get on her nerves! She looked behind her and Millerna and two other guys she did not recognize were close behind.

When they arrived at the scene, Allen and Dilandau were separated by three cars, the former clutching a lamp post and the latter leaning up against a Jeep with a black eye. The blonde-haired man looked in pain, but Hitomi couldn't see any cuts or bruises because of the small sedan blocking her vision of anything but torso and up. He looked, however, to be holding a knee quite gingerly.

Allen looked murderous as he let his leg go and circled around the sedan and the second car, getting closer to Dilandau, who seemed, if nothing else, just briskly irritated.

"He wasn't kidding," Hitomi breathed.

"Huh?" Van asked, looking at Hitomi.

"Allen really is that serious about his hair."

"…Huh?" His face became confused and she laughed lightly because the look didn't suit him

Allen raised his right hand, pointing at Dilandau accusingly, and the point-ee raised his arms, smirking, "Okay, okay, you win. I'm sorry. But your strands seem to be in good working order now."

"You think this is about my hair?"

Blink.

"Um…yeah….I kinda did."

"You _screwed_ my sister!"

"Who's your sister?"

"You BASTARD!" And for the fourth time that night, Allen made for a dramatic lunge.

"Stop!" Dryden bellowed, pulling Allen away just as he arrived in the parking lot. The brown-haired man was breathing heavily, amazing his onlookers that after all that running he was still able to pull away the determined, angry blonde-man. "Let's just go cool off somewhere."

"Um," Millerna piped up, "Why don't we settle this over some coffee?"

The six people there grew silent, a little taken aback at Millerna's friendly voice.

She looked at Hitomi suggestively, who was standing next to Van. Hitomi reflexively moved away from the guy. "I know a great café a few blocks down."

Hitomi glared at her, but everyone agreed. That is, everyone but Dilandau and Allen.

* * *

"Celena Schezar. You fucked her over." 

"Oh, her?"

"You BASTARD…." Allen raised his fist.

Dryden grabbed it and laughed nervously, "I'm sure it's just one big misunderstanding…"

"Celena's great. But she's just my friend. Nothing more,"

"You see!" frantic Allen, "You're a fucki-"

"Waitwaitwait, Celena with the platinum hair?" Hitomi was serving out coffee to everyone after apologizing to her Aunt for them being here so late at night. Of course, since Hitomi hardly brought anyone but Millerna to the café, her aunt hadn't said a word, just smiled lazily and went back to sleep. They lived right behind the cafe as well, right underneath Hitomi's apartment. The group of very strange, very unlikely acquaintances sat tensely in the largest booth next to the large glass windows that opened out to the dark street.

"Yeah, remember, we went with her that one night a couple of weeks ago to eat Indian food?" Dilandau to Hitomi.

"Oh, yeah! I remember now! Holy crap, she ate that red pepper, the whole thing!"

"Yeah, and was crying so bad because it was so hot, that she tried to wipe her tears but the chili juice got all in her eyes…"

"Yeah, it looked like she was in some serious pain."

"That was only a couple of days ago."

"I haven't seen her since."

"I wonder if she's okay?"

Hitomi and Dilandau went silent and Hitomi smiled sheepishly. No one moved or said a word.

"Waitwaitwait…" Allen cut the silence with an irritated gesture, "So you're telling me that a couple of days ago, when she had come home all puffy-eyed and red, that it wasn't because of you, it was because of some _pepper_?"

"……" Dilandau looked from Hitomi to Allen, then back again.

"……" Allen leaned back in the booth, waiting silently for a response.

"Um, yeah."

Allen laughed boisterously, and it made Dryden and Van and Gaddess exchange worried looks. "Oh, wow. Okay. So it was just one big misunderstanding!" Allen smiled down at Dilandau, "What a relief!" And he clapped Dilandau around the shoulders, and took a big gulp of coffee. Millerna leaned over the table, cocking an eyebrow, along with Hitomi, Dryden, Van, and Gaddess.

"Well, good! I'm glad that's settled!" Dilandau said happily, taking a sip of coffee.

Allen removed the cup from his face and his expression looked grave. He glared across the café, not looking at anything, and his grip tightened on Dilandau. Dilandau jumped in surprise and almost spilled his cup. The change in emotion also caused the relieved faces of the other four people to stop their motions and look worriedly at the poor soul they referred to as 'Dilandau',

Allen said in a very low voice, "I'm still going to murder you for what you did to my hair." And he turned his face very slowly so that he was glaring at Dilly evilly.

Nobody moved.

Not a word.

Not a sound.

"HAHAHA! Oh, the look on your faces!" Allen took his arm from Dilandau and sipped his coffee leisurely, leaning back in the booth.

Everyone tried to relax, but the air was still tense. Allen clapped him on the back a few times, "It's okay, I won't kill you anytime soon," he smiled, and took another sip of his drink.

"Millerna, right?" Dryden smiled at the girl, breaking the mood with a change in subject.

"Yes," and she beamed happily.

"This place is nice," He looked over the old-world café, and suddenly was reminded of Spain, all in bright colors and classic themes. His was impressed, "How did you find it?"

"Hitomi's aunt and uncle run this place," Millerna said, motioning to the suddenly shy girl that sat across from Dilandau, "We both work here when we can."

"Really? I should come here more often, then, if there are girls as pretty as you two here." Dryden smiled flirtatiously at Millerna, who just blushed.

Van raised an eyebrow, watching as Hitomi rolled her eyes.

Hitomi looked up at him; he sat directly to her left. They locked gazes for a moment. Van almost smiled, but willed himself to his regular stoic expression. There was something lovely and strange to him in her sunlight-green eyes. It was like a defiant innocence, assuredness that only came through constantly facing her worst fears. Van's inward smile soon came to rest on his features when he realized he was getting great amusement while watching her squirm slightly at his imperious gaze, her hands now not so sure as she clasped her coffee mug. His arm was draped lazily and unnoticed around the back of the booth, incasing her in an inescapable situation.

The two hadn't noticed that everyone else had grown silent and was now watching them.

"Hitomi!" Millerna nearly yelled to get her attention after failing to do so once already.

The shock of the voice outside of her and Van's silent world caused her to jump slightly, the loose mug jumping with her and landing with a loud thud on the table. It was only one-third full, so not much leaked out, but she immediately reddened and stood up, running to get paper towels. Van wasn't the only one to notice how her hands shook to wipe up the brown liquid.

"Well, it's getting late, don't ya'll think?" Millerna asked smilingly, perking up from Hitomi's small disaster. She silently wondered what had her friend on such an edge.

There was a small round of agreement, and the group slid out of the booth, Hitomi taking the mugs to the counter to be cleaned later as she opened the glass door to let people out.

"Put some ice on that," She commented, referring to Dilandau's black eyes as he headed out. He saluted her sloppily.

"Yes, ma'am," He mocked, making her smile.

Dryden left with Millerna on his arm, and the bright blonde winked at Hitomi as she left with him down the street. Hitomi looked at her disapprovingly, and Allen saw this as he was leaving, "Don't worry, mi'lady," he smiled brightly, a charming smile, Hitomi thought, "I'll make sure nothing happens to them."

For some reason, she trusted him.

Gaddess was waiting for Van, but the raven-haired man just waved him on with a good-bye. Hitomi had left some of the spill, and he mopped it up with a napkin, going behind the counter in a self-possessed manner Hitomi didn't like. She walked away from the door and picked up the mugs before he could touch them, "You don't have to do that," She said. Van picked up the annoyance in her voice.

His lips curved into a mocking grin and she found that she hated that smile. Van couldn't remember being so intrigued.

"I just want to make sure you don't drop something again. Are you always so clumsy?" Van asked, leaning one hand against the coffee bar, his right eyebrow up. His deep accent was strange, it came out ever-so-often with certain words. It wasn't unpleasant, but when those words came out of his mouth Hitomi suddenly hated the sound of his voice.

Hitomi's cheeks flared red in annoyed anger and she whipped around from the kitchen, marching past him as his eyes trailed. She picked up her purse on the booth table and motioned to the door, opening it so the stranger would get the picture.

Van smiled, lazily putting his hands in his jean pockets and walked outside under the light. As she locked the door, Van tilted his head to the side, "Aren't you going to say anything?"

Hitomi raised her chin slightly as she turned around, her anger still apparent, "Don't be a jerk," she seethed in a whisper. Normally she would never say such a thing, but this man . . .this stranger seemed to really grate at her nerves, slicing them down to tiny, unsubstantial threads.

Van laughed, titling back his head so that his loud, chiming laugh echoed slightly. Hitomi was slightly taken aback.

Van's face was half in shadows because of the late night, but Hitomi could make out his handsome face easily. Now if it wasn't dipped in that sarcastic smile, he would look a lot better.

"What's so funny?"

"You . . .you are so strange," Hitomi's face wrinkled in displeasure, adding to Van's amusement, "I like you."

". . . Excuse me?"

"Where do you live? I'll walk you home."

Hitomi was, again, shocked, "W-why?"

"Why do you think? It's dark; there are strangers all about. . ."

"I don't need protection."

"I'm talking about the stranger's protection, not yours." His eyes danced merrily. Hitomi cursed him many times over.

"You _are_ a jerk. My apartment is around the building. I'll make it on my own, thank you. And since you are a stranger to me, you'd better watch your back." She glared at him wearily and tried to push past him.

Van didn't miss his opportunity to block her path, "Well, I guess we really haven't met properly. I'm Van Slanzar de Fanel." He stuck out his hand, and something about his robotic appearance Hitomi had memorized at the club vanished.

Hitomi looked up at him suspiciously, her hand moving out to his slowly, "Hitomi Kanzaki Degasso. That's a pretty formal name there, Fanel."

"I'm from a pretty formal family," he commented, his stolidity slightly returning.

"I know the feeling." Hitomi said, sighing. Van didn't dismiss the comment.

She started walking towards the alley where the stairs led to her apartment, and wasn't surprised as Van's long strides followed her silently. She looked up and saw him watching her, his red-brown eyes gleaming with a worn fire, and for an instant she saw something else in this strange person that wasn't cold as stone. He returned to his normal state at once, looking back straight ahead as they turned towards the alleyway, which wasn't gloomy and dirty as Van had expected. It was lit by the moon, and a stone path sided by green crawling plants curved around a flight of steep stairs on the left. At the other end of the short, thin alley, Van's gaze could only see the endlessness of a park over an old black railing. Obviously there was a drop-off.

"Is that Mesquite Park?" He asked, a little shocked.

Hitomi smiled, "Yes, my apartment over looks it. This is Claide's Cliff."

"I thought this area looked familiar. I haven't been down here in ages," He answered. Hitomi looked up at him in confusion. He didn't seem the conversational type, yet here he was, so cold, talking like a normal person.

Hitomi started up her stairs, when Van's unusual voice made her stop, "Wait, Hitomi," The way he said her name was strange, as if in a different language. When she looked down at him he didn't seem to want to say anything more.

She seemed to be getting angry, "Isn't there someone waiting for you _'at your place'_?" She asked, a little accusingly.

Van paused, and suddenly remembered Kira. The club incident and his normal life seemed a galaxy away. He recalled what the black-haired girl had said earlier. This green-eyed girl had been paying more attention than he thought. But they hardly knew each other. Why was she acting like that mattered? What, was she expecting something great from him? It's not like they knew each other, why was she trying to pry into his personal life? Van's composure stiffened and his playfuil air was gone.

"Perhaps," Van said smoothly, his icy stare returning to his enchanting red-flaked brown eyes. Hitomi felt his maroon eyes glare into her and immediately regretted her comment. _Lord forgive me_, she prayed silently, _because it doesn't look like he will_.

"Arrivederci, Hitomi Kanzaki Degasso." And the man turned and disappeared around the corner, his accent full with the words.

Hitomi released her breath as he turned, a little dissapointed and sad. So much for meaningful human contact. She watched the spot where he left, leaning against the stairwell, half-up, almost expecting him to come back. Maybe that was just hopeful wishing.

Hitomi shook her head. That Van guy was a jerk, and obviously had little morals in his life, apparent from that dark-haired woman he was so uncaring towards. Did he just use women?

Hitomi was suddenly glad he was gone.

But when she lay down on her full bed, muscles sore and biting her every move, Hitomi couldn't sleep. She blinked up in the blue shadows.

_But his eyes were so strangely beautiful. . .

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**Oh, that was really long. Hope ya'll enjoy it as much as I enjoy writing it! Next one to come after I update Sing a Lullaby!**

**_Cev_**


	2. Song Two: Fiasco!

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Hmm….okay, I guess I've been long enough on an update, hmm? This chapter was supposed to be longer, but I kind of like how it stand on its own – it's all about Van. I'll update shortly to keep it going. After all, I'm really starting to like this. A lot of my storie I started writing when I was younger and they don't quite feel the same, though I've tried to pick up some dignity with them. Ho-hum… I'm doomed to rewrite them someday so that they'll sound more mature. Urgh.**

**Anyway, here we go. I hope you enjoy it!**

**Note: I really really REALLY need an editor/beta-reader. I've gone too long without one. I need someone experienced, who write stories as well. If you're interested, I would be SO HAPPY. Please e-mail me!**

**Review on your way out!

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne, but I wish I owned Van :(

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**Second Note: Please be warned that there is excess cussing in this chapter. I'm really sorry about that, I myself don't actually cuss, but I thought it would be a good mood-setter. Van isn't exactly one to make things easy...and I wanted something that would be kind of unsettling when we first really get to know him. It's all a means to an interesting end!

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**Φίλημα των ματιών της μουσικής** /

**Baciare Gli Occhi Di Musica** /

**Kissing the Eyes of Music**

Song Two: Fiasco!

(In anything _but_ a natural key)

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The cab he sat back in was bleak, dirty, and dark – starkly different than the sight he had left just a few moments before. With ease, he saw her form in his mind, lithe and tall – but strong – like the dancer she was – leaning against the railing of the stairs that led up to her apartment. The shadows of soft yellow lights in the garden alleyway – more like a thin courtyard – softening her features, no matter how blunt her words were. Van caught himself wondering what her apartment looked like – how big was it? Did she have a kitchen? A couch? What color was it? 

How big was her bed?

And he suddenly remembered her hips being a bit wider than most of the dancers at the Academy, and how that really accented her long, strong legs. Hips to be grabbed with hands…

To his utter horror, Van felt his cheeks rise with heat.

_What the hell? I've thought of girls like that before and never-_ And he felt his forehead. His cheeks, too? Van groaned.

Yup. He was blushing.

Van was now angry – what the hell was his body thinking? He had seen MUCH more shapely women than this Kanzaki-Degasso girl. In fact, he would go so far to say that she was a bit on the gangly side – and had small breasts. Yeah. Right.

But he remembered her eyes – the green. They were all round and surprised half of the time – he could see everything she was feeling. He wondered if she could ever cloud her eyes from people seeing the truth of her own emotions in them. She seemed desperately trying to at one point in the night. He grinned to himself at that – he knew she was attracted to him.

But did _she_ know?

"Here you go, Sir." The driver had stopped in front of his dorm, and interrupted his thoughts.

"Oh – thanks," Van mumbled, a little dazed from being drawn from his intense thoughts. He paid the driver with his card and gave him a tip, stepping out of the vehicle and heading back into his dorm. He stood at the front door, punching in the pass code and sliding his ID. He found it amusing – for a child that grew up being escorted around Europe and North America in limos and personal cars, always living in a nice place, Van had adamantly chosen to live in the dorms – with the tiny, miniscule rooms, and even tinier mattresses – no matter what his parents said. Gaou, his father, had argued with him till Van's ears were red. Why would he want to live in such a small place? It wasn't necessary, they had plenty of money to get him an apartment or pay for a fraternity…blah blah blah. But his mother understood – at least Van thought she did. There was something of slyness in her smile when he told his parents what he wanted to do at Adante. And to even make his father madder, Van had waited to tell them after the due date of getting better housing, intentionally pissing his father off. Now he would have to stay there no matter what, and had for the past year and a half, renewing his contract with pleasure – again seeing Gaou's ears redden from anger and Varie's laugh at Van's intense rebellion.

Van liked being in the dorms - Besides, a lot of his friends were NOT the same as him at all – Gaddess himself was struggling to make enough money to pay for tuition and housing, unlike Van. He was counting on their band to kick off so he could cut time at his grunt construction job, opening up more time to study and actually do something he liked. It made Van guilty a lot of the time – Gaddess was his roommate and one of his best friends, and Van had approached the band thing with a muted interest. He had approached Andante always with muted interest – but isn't that what one did? Get a degree in something that came natural? Everything with music just came to him, like a gift. A lot of people at Andante really had to work at their art – Gaddess was one of them.

Van felt guilty for that, too. In fact, he felt pretty sour with himself a lot these days - when he was here. Andante Academy. He knew it was the right thing – the smartest, easiest thing to do. Folken had done it, too.

But what about something new? Something hard or challenging? Something he had to figure out for himself?

Van quickly cut off that mutinous, distracting train of thought and filled his brain with other more realistic and pressing matters of daily life. With irritation, Van realized that the whole ordeal he went through that night had distracted him and Gaddess from talking to the club manager about a gig. He scowled. If only Dilandau and that blonde-haired bimbo of a man hadn't decided to pick a fight that night.

But then again, Van thought with a sly grin, he would have never met that beautiful green-eyed girl.

_Beautiful?_ He thought, his voice in his mind getting darker. _She's not pretty or anything…she's…..she's like a little girl!_

Agitated, he made his way upstairs and to his floor, and Van sunk into deeper and darker thoughts. Yes, yes he did think she was beautiful. But he was attracted to many women…physically. Why would a girl like that ever truly be interested in someone like him, anyway? Of course she was _attracted_ to him, there was definitely something there. Something good, something bad, he wasn't sure - but he knew it was a start. With a shadow across his eyes, he remembered her spiteful words:

"_Isn't there someone waiting for you 'at your place'?"_

He glowered. It wasn't any of her fucking business what he did. He knew in that moment that she had already made a pretty hefty judgment of him – and that really pissed him off. People had been judging him from the moment he stepped out of the realms of his family – and he _would not_ put up with it, not even from _her_. But something of his anger at her died a little. He couldn't find himself to hate her, no matter how cutting that was.

But it was true, wasn't it? He was a bastard. A sex-fiend bastard. Van shrunk into himself even more. She seemed really innocent – too innocent, and even though she was attracted to him – the same pull he felt towards her – she had adamantly ignored it, despite her embarrassment. Van wondered if she usually went against her desires like that.

Van shook his head. What the hell was happening to him? Why was he thinking about this so much? He had just met her that night! It was just one girl! One girl!

_One woman._

His face heated again – for the second damned time that night! - He remembered his own words:

"_What's so funny?" She had asked defensively. He had laughed, a real laugh, and he wasn't around Gaddess or Dilandau or Folken, he was with her. Alone._

"_You . . . you are so strange," He had said, smiling even more when she frowned in displeasure at that comment, "I like you."_

"I can't believe I actually said that." Van mumbled darkly to himself as he grabbed the door handle to his room and unlocked it, "It's like I had to be honest with her there or something."

Van walked in, the room was quiet. That was strange, he thought, Gaddess should have been back before him.

"Gaddess?" He called out, looking into the dark, small room, noticing that though there was no one in his friend's bed, there was an eerie lump of shadow perched on his.

"Gaddess isn't here."

The hairs on the back of Van's neck stiffened as he realized who it was – recognizing the suggestive voice of a silky whisper. He narrowed his eyes angrily and flicked the lights on. She was half sitting, half laying on his small bed, propped up in what she must have thought was a seductive manner. "Kira." He growled low.

She obviously thought that meant his was approving or wanted her or something, because her red lips curled up into a smile and she legs rose ever so slightly, revealing black underwear. She pushed her shoulders up, caving in her chest as her chest rose against her chemise.

Van rolled his eyes. He was in no mood for this tonight. Plus, if his Floor Advisor caught him with another girl in his room, Van was sure he would get kicked out for good. He had warned him with a pretty serious look in his eyes the last time he brought a girl into the dorm for a little late-night fling. Very serious, actually. Van's couldn't risk that - where would he be housing if not at the dorms? After his little spat with Hitomi, Van really did not feel in the mood for confrontation with anyone. He was, frankly, glad that Gaddess was gone for the time being. He did not want to talk to his Floor Advisor, and he especially did not want to talk, listen, or do anything with Kira. In fact, he had been feeling pretty against her whole 'handy' way of dealing with him the whole night. She was way too hands-on, even for him. He felt a little dirty. _HE_ felt that!

She didn't seem to notice his darkened, angrier mood. Impatient with his silence, Kira got up and moved towards him slowly. "Van…" she smiled up at him, pulling his waist towards her, the pads of her fingers snaking their way around his sides.

Van felt sick, and he was getting even angrier. What right did she have to just come strolling in here? Wait, Van thought, how DID she get in here? In HIS room. HIS bed. No one had a right to be in here unless he was at the door asking them to come in! All at once, Van felt extremely violated, as if he had been stolen from.

And Van did not like to be stolen from.

Kira, as usual, didn't notice anything except what she was doing with her hands.

Van roughly snapped his hands around her wrists, pulling her aside him as if she were a rag doll. In a swift movement, he shoved her on Gaddess' bed. Kira sprung on the mattress, confusion in her eyes.

Oh, so he wanted to play it rough, she thought, and moved for him again.

Van noticed it and rolled his eyes, sneering at her loathingly. He went to the other side of the room and took off his jacket, ignoring her.

"Van-"

"Get out." He said, his voice dangerously low.

Kira didn't understand. Her cheeks heated in embarrassment. Did he not want her? "But…but Van, you-"

His shoulders tensed and he repeated his order: "Out." It ground through his teeth.

Obviously, she didn't know what she was dealing with. "Tonight, we were-"

"Get the FUCK OUT OF MY ROOM!" He bellowed, his hair rising slightly and his eyes fire-red. For the first time in the few months Kira knew Van, her fear was plain in her face. Van didn't feel at all apologetic for his language. Why the fuck was she still standing there?

Kira would have had her feelings hurt if it weren't for her intense pride in herself. The fear in her eyes quickly morphed into embarrassed anger. She could now not feel responsible for the actions that ensued. Every man wanted her! She was never denied! And now, in her embarrassment, she had come to his room – Gaddess had, while she watched him, come home for the night, but, as if he had forgotten something, went out again, and had left the door open. She, with her scantly-clad body, had come in and waited for him - _she_ had **_waited_** for him – and now he was giving her this act? As if – as if she wasn't good enough for him? He was the bastard here!

"Why the fuck are you still standing there?" Van's eyes blazed. He was sick of people trying to get his to do things he didn't want – he was sick of himself, of being here, of not feeling anything but a darkened need to be pissed off and removed from everything. His anger chilled as his red eyes iced over and steeled at her. Kira flinched, backing away as if she had been burned.

"I don't know how you got in here," Van said flatly, seeming to regain control with is coldness, "But I better never find you in here again."

Kira couldn't stand it any longer. "You BASTARD!" She screamed.

It was then that Van heard the hurried footsteps coming down the hall. Great! If that was the Floor Advisor-

"You think you're so damn cool – how DARE you treat me this way!" She moved to slap him but Van caught her hand – the steps were nearer and all Van heard was a slam of a door that distracted him. In that moment, another slap suddenly coming from the other side – somewhere. He only heard it. Van felt his cheek redden. It stung just slightly. His cold eyes burned. Why was she hitting him? She was in _his_ room!

"Van Fanel!" An angry voice shuddered through his room. Then suddenly he could hear other people in his hall starting to wake up. "You'd better explain yourself!" The floor advisor was standing angrily at his door, staring in shocked horror – and Van noticed a bit of embarrassment in the older man's eyes – at Kira's supple but very little clothed form. Van groaned. Oh, great…

One look at Kira did it. "Fanel," The floor advisor seethed (a few heads popped out behind from the Advisor, some of the other guys wanted to see what was going on. Van always had something funny to see…), "This is the last straw! I told you two weeks ago that one more time and that was it! NO GIRLS STAY IN THE BOY'S FLOOR!"

Kira turned her head at the man then whipped her gaze back on Van, understanding. She looked at him incredulously, "Were you _cheating_ on me?"

Van gave a throaty, cynical laugh. "Kira, we were never going out. You were a date. Don't act all innocent with me. I know you've done much worse…._married_ worse, if the rumors are correct."

Kira withdrew from him instantly, her mouth and eyes widening impossibly large. How could anyone know that? Her eyes narrowed. Now, she was just pissed off, and her hurt pride wasn't helping. She, with as much force an angry woman can manage – which is a lot – promptly kicked him in the shin.

"Ow! God damnit! What the hell was that for!" Van angrily grabbed his leg as Kira grabbed her jacket and stormed out the door, ignoring the stares of the other boys.

"I hope you rot in hell!" She yelled.

"I'll make sure to say hello to you when I see you down there, you whore!" Van yelled venomously back, babying his shin with his hands. He was a sight to see.

Kira didn't flinch at his hateful words and left, storming out of the building.

The Floor Advisor watched all of this pass with raised eyebrows, standing with his arms folded to the side. Van rolled his eyes and instantly calmed down, hopping towards his chair by his desk and rolling up his jean pant leg. It was red, but man, it really kinda hurt. The girl had some pretty tough kicks! Van let it go. It wasn't the first time. He despised presumptuous women like Kira. To intrude on him – he, who kept his relationships with women very strict – very limited! No ones but his closest friends and family was allowed near him, when he allowed them to. To just barge into his room like –

"Fanel, pack your room," The Floor Advisor said calmly, disgust tinting his words – he resented Van, and every guy on the floor knew it - "You have violated Adante Housing Rules, and, as a consequence, may no longer live on campus. You have by the end of the week to move out and find another place to live. At that time," he recited it as if he knew the written rules by heart, "You will return you key and card to me-"

"Wait!" Van stood up, shocked. Could this really be happening? What would his mother say when she found out? She'd be so disappointed – and his father – Oh God! He would never hear the end of it! "Wait – can't you….can't you look this over just this once? David, you've done it before-"

"No," David, the Advisor, said flatly. He was reddening. Yes, he had let it slide before, but someone would find out, and he would be in big trouble if someone higher up found out he was allowing the guys on his floor to bring girls in at night. "I had already given you a warning."

Van gathered what little dignity he had left – he was losing his cool way too much this night. He leaned back and stuffed his hands in his pockets, glaring at David, "Fine." He said evenly.

David knew the tone and his voice started to falter. In this kind of situation, having Van mad at him was not a desirable thing for anyone. He gathered his courage. He had to kick Van out! "Friday – by noon." And the man turned on his heel and headed back to his room by the stairs.

Van rolled his eyes and steamed on his own, standing with his arms folded. Some of the guys were still watching him with their mouths agape. Leave it to Fanel to get in trouble because of a girl and a scandalous situation! Van always had some girl on him – he was just really blessed with good looks. Van saw their admiring looks and got even more pissed off. He stormed over to the door and took it in his hand, "Go back to sleep!" he gritted out, slamming the door in their faces.

Van heard scampering behind the door, and released a big breath he had been holding.

And then he realized just exactly what happened.

One week.

"Fuck."


	3. Song Three: The Surprised A’Capella

**I told you that I'd update soon ;)**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne! However, I do love indie music!

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**Φίλημα των ματιών της μουσικής** /

**Baciare Gli Occhi Di Musica** /

**Kissing the Eyes of Music**

Song Three: The Surprised A'Capella

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…_And it came to me then that every plan_

_Is a tiny prayer to Father Time…_

The wistful, strong song of "What Sarah Said" by Death Cab for Cutie, full of piano, was the first thing that Hitomi heard that morning. Greeting it with a grunt, she rolled over on her stomach on her full-size bed. With a sudden shriek, she realized she rolled too far, and landed with a smart thud on the floor, her sheets a quilt that had becomes entangled in her legs that night coming with her.

Hitomi closed her eyes and groaned, still feeling the thud tingling in her back muscles. The music still drifted to her ears, and she just lay there thinking, staring up at the tiled ceiling.

…_But I'm thinking of what Sarah said,_

_That "love is watching someone die."_

_So who's gonna watch you die?_

Her lips curled in amusement at realizing her own clumsy position, but it remained small and disappeared completely as the last phrase repeated over again over again against the dream-like music. _Who's gonna watch you die?_

Hitomi shook her head to clear her thoughts as her father's green eyes shone in her mind. Nope- not a good idea to get in so heavy in the morning. It was Saturday, and she was going to enjoy it - not wallow. She got up to untangle herself and clicked off her stereo. She often let a soft, sad playlist lull her to sleep at night when she couldn't seem to shake off insomnia.

And there was _no way _she could have gotten her body to relax after last night's happenings.

_The repeat button had been on_, she thought drowsily.

Stretching her legs and back, Hitomi placed her hands on her hips and looked around her apartment admiringly. It stretched out as a very open space, with no separating walls for rooms, minus the bathroom. There were a few middle-eastern screens stacked near each other on the wall near her bed, but Hitomi never found a use for them. She liked the room open. The landing was in the south-west corner, the only window to the street open just next to the door. Since the whole north wall was excessed in glass, opening to the huge balcony, there was little need for extra windows. Hitomi liked it that way – no one from the street could see her. Since she kept her balcony doors open often in the evening when she was practicing, she knew many could hear her, though. No one seemed to mind – the café was in the more relaxed, middle-class part of downtown – an artsy place, at best, mixed with something of an aesthetic grunge from the park to the north. Besides, Hitomi always felt a little more at home when sitting at her piano when the breeze could come in and out as it pleased – it was easy to practice and get sort of lost in the moment with her grand black piano standing smack dab in the middle of the apartment, almost flush with the balcony doors, demanding attention the minute anyone walked in – it was the first thing anyone saw when they came into the room, minus the futon-couch, coffee tables, and small TV she had arranged nicely in a pseudo-living room near the landing. There was actually enough room for more than one person in the large area – probably even three could live comfortably here, if all had twin-sized beds. But Hitomi liked the comfortable spread-out atmosphere and the openness. The tile and simple, bright colors kept it cool and almost flowing, it seemed. It reminded her of her grandmother's house in Spain. Hitomi smiled at the thought of her grandmother, with her soft, graying hair and soft green eyes that Hitomi & her father had inherited – Hitomi felt closer to her than even her own mother.

With a sigh Hitomi realized that she would probably have to take another required trip up North to see her mother. She had expressed concern for Hitomi - and even though Hitomi wanted to be mad at her mother for the rest of her life for what she did, she WAS her mother, despite all that had happened. The 19-year-old was just thankful she had someone like Tia Maria to understand her. She almost laughed at her name for her Aunt – she remembered some of the kids giving her confusing looks when she referred to her aunts and uncles that way – her accent strong and sure: "But you're not Latino!"

Of course, with her fair skin, blonde-brown hair, and green eyes, who would expect her family to be from Spain? There were just too many people that didn't get out of this country enough.

Although, she thought, that Van guy certainly seemed like someone who would understand. Hitomi fought down a blush when she realized that she was not only thinking about what Van would say, but how he would say it. His accent was so interesting, and she couldn't place it at all. He was all foreign but so very at home, too. He seemed so put a part from everyone here – like an intentional loner, but still enthralled everyone around him. His eyes – she remembered those, the most prominent feature – so dark and red, even – she had noted it. But they were so cold inside, and they had definitely frightened her. She was afraid to find what was in them, what made him that way. What could have possibly happened to him that he would seem so uncaring?

Hitomi knew herself and people well. She knew that Van had a past he didn't normally share with people. Perhaps that was what troubled him. The past? Maybe, maybe…but, then again, a lot of people had troubling pasts. Maybe it was something different.

Hitomi hugged herself as her mind clouded over slightly and she remembered his soft, carved face. That nose – long and imperious, as if he was born from nobility. His brows and cheekbones prominent and fine, as if masterfully and delicately made with all of man's strength and all of God's beauty.

She blushed. He was really, really, REALLY good-looking…with all those muscles in his face, and in his arms…his shoulders were so wide and strong –

_'Whoa there girl, slow down!'_ She reprimanded herself. She swiftly got into the bathroom to take a shower. It was a little cold. She desperately needed to think about something else BESIDES him. For goodness' sake – she had only met him last night!

'_I really need to stop being so boy-crazy…'_

With a small prick of non-excitement, she realized that she probably needed to go to confession soon. She hadn't been in a while and Auntie kept badgering her to go. She might as well try to squeeze it in today or Sunday while she had time – she had a lot of studying to do and still had to help out Maria and Ben in the café downstairs. Luckily, she was an early riser – despite the busy night – so she had most of the day at her disposal. Hitomi tried to relax in the shower – it was one of the few times she actually had to herself besides practicing, which was not like being by herself at all. It seemed like she had less and less time these days to do the things she wanted.

'_Especially when…_,' she blushed, 'When such handsome men are around?' her mind finished compulsively. Hitomi's cheeks burned under the water and she decided to turn the knob to the colder side. _Whatever._ It wasn't like she'd ever really see him again, anyway.

_Right?_

It was, she had to admit, a depressing thought. Despite his unnatural coldness and aloofness to people, there was something about this Fanel guy that had really caught her attention.

_Who was he, anyway?_ While she was mulling over this and rinsing her hair, Hitomi heard and felt a knock on her door, the wall of her bathroom reverberating a bit. It was loud and banging, and instantly Hitomi knew it was her Tia.

"Hitomi, it's getting close to your shift hour!" Maria yelled from the top of the stairs, knowing her niece was already up, "Come down early – I have something important to talk to you about and some errands for you to run!"

Hitomi yelled back an O.K., and got out of her bathroom to get dressed, heading for the small set of pale wooden drawers next to her bed.

Today was going to be a long one…

* * *

**"_Non posso credere che abbiate fatto questo!_"**

Van groaned at his mother's sharp tone, "Mamá…it wasn't my fault."

"Come non ha potuto essere il vostro difetto? Che cosa avete fatto?"

Van sighed. How was he supposed to explain this to his mother? He took a big breath. He had to explain – his parents were the ones paying for all of this, anyway… "There was a girl in my room, and my Floor Advisor-"

"Siete serii!" Her voice was trembling with anger, "LI HO ALZATI PIÙ MEGLIO Di QUELLO!" Varie _bellowed_ over the phone. Van held it away from his ear, reddening and closing his eyes in irritation. It really wasn't his fault this time! "Come SFIDA voi!" She raged, "Van Slanzar, voi irresponsabili –"

He tried to defend himself, "Madre! Ascolti me! We weren't doing anything - she just barged into my room uninvited, and my Floor Advisor came in. I didn't ask her to be there! Era un errore, just a misunderstanding!"

"Come ha potuto un errore causare questo! Capisco perfettamente! Dovreste a casa ora ritornare, io non potete credere che disonore noi come questo..."

"NON ERA il mio difetto!" Van repeated in Italian, angry. He was now losing ground. There was no way he could speak to his mother about this calmly, "Mother," Van calmed his voice, "put Papá on the phone, per favore?" He was pleading, "Let me talk to him." translation at end of passage

There was a moment of terse silence before he heard the phone slammed onto something, and Van could hear Varie's angry voice yelling at Gaou - in Italian or Greek, he wasn't sure. In any case, his father didn't reply, and soon Van heard the phone being picked up.

"So, Van, m'boy, you got kicked out of Andante housing because you were caught with a girl in your room?" Gaou's voice was light and even. Even though it was he that had the Italian blood line, he had been raised in Great Britain and English-speaking countries, only moving back with his family when he met Van's mother, Varie, who, though her parents where Greek, came to love Italy as Gaou did and even spoke the language more fluently than anyone. Though she understood English, she didn't speak it, and instead kept to Greek, Italian, and Spanish. Gaou's voice was without an accent, "I knew you were popular with the ladies, son, well done-"

"GAOU!" Van heard his mother shouting, reprimanding.

Gaou chuckled and Van rubbed his temples, "Yes, Dad, it's all wonderful," Van said icily, "I'm a big shot the ladies, and now I have no where to live!"

Gaou's playfulness was gone, "You shouldn't have done that. That was probably not the first time, hmm?"

Van didn't answer.

Gaou sighed, "I don't want you to live in the dorms anymore. It's not a good environment, figlio."

His hot-tempered son sighed irritably, "It doesn't matter anymore, and I can't get back into the dorms, anyway. I need to find someplace before next week."

"That's not a lot of time. Why don't you go live with Folken?" There was a wistful hopelessness in the question. Gaou knew the answer before he asked.

"No." Van said sourly, "I want to live on my own – with someone I know, a friend – and definitely not my brother. You know Folken, he'd treat me like I was two years old – I don't need to be looked after."

Gaou sighed. Well, he at least had tried. "You're too stubborn, Van. If you don't want to live with Folken, you'll have to find someplace yourself."

"That's fine. That's what I've wanted. You know, dad, really, I've been thinking," Van paused, trying to gather his thoughts – and some courage. He'd wanted to say something about it for a while now, but he was so thick in his studies already, "I really wanted to try to take some classes at the local university, you know, I'm really interested in law and-"

His father interjected before he could get too far. "Van, focus on your composition classes. You know, you have the talent to write some pretty amazing scores. Mr. Eric Whitacre was complimenting you on your 'Fire' piece for a class when we were talking at some gala Varie had us go to. Just focus on your degree now – worry about that sort of thing when you go for your master's."

"But dad, a musician and a lawyer? That really doesn't-"

"Van, come now, you have a responsibility here. You will have to take up this house when I am gone, and Folken is busy running his business. For generations we've had-"

"Musicians running the instrument company, I know. We all know. The whole world knows." Van rolled his eyes.

"Not the whole world – and stop rolling your eyes."

Van gave a snort of indignation. "Dad, we're on the phone, I'm not-"

Gaou gave a warm chuckle, interrupting Van, but his light mood faded when his son's voice continued, "I'm just glad people are too wrapped up here in their own world to realize who I am." He clicked his tongue distractedly, as if only saying it as an after-thought.

"You know, I wouldn't mind donating some equipment to the school. It could be in your name, and you could live in that ruddy dormitory again."

"No thanks, Dad. I'm perfectly capable of doing this on my own." He had said is quickly, and with more callousness than he'd meant.

"Come now, Van, it's not a big deal-"

"Tell mom and Merle that I love them." Van's grew cold, and Gaou knew he had pushed a wrong button.

"Now wait, Van-" Gaou's raised, earnest voice was ignored.

Click.

He sighed, looking at the phone for a minute before finally clicking it off. Looking up, he saw his steaming wife - her face was red and she was tapping her fingers on the kitchen counter irritably. "Varie…" He came to her side and put a hand on her shoulder to sooth her.

Varie looked straight ahead, and brought her hand up to hold her husband's. She took a deep breath, and closed her eyes, her anger subsiding for the moment. She looked up at Gaou with sadness in her eyes, "Siamo perdenti lui," she whispered. Gaou only sighed, and wrapped her in a complete embrace.

* * *

Hitomi stared dumbly at her Aunt. They were sitting in one of the tables in the café, people mulling about in the late morning breakfast hour. The smell of coffee and tortillas Espanolas flooded her nose as she sat back.

Maria's only answer to her proposition was a loud "WHAT?"

"Hitomi! Shush!" Maria hushed exasperatedly, her cheeks heated as several people around them eating breakfast turned towards them.

Hitomi was polite enough to blush, but was unable to control her surprise, "What?" she asked again in bewilderment, whispering harshly.

Maria twiddled her thumbs absent-mindedly as her eyes roved her café and she looked apologetic, "I know, sobrina, but I want your approval first. I really appreciate all the help you've put in lately, and you always do a lot for us." Maria patted her hand, "It's just with rising energy costs it's hard for Ben and I to support you, especially since, well, I'm not getting any younger, and I'm at just the right age to have a child. I love you, Hitomi, you know that, and so does Ben. But-"

Hitomi sighed and smiled, "No, Tia Maria," She interrupted, silencing her aunt as she beamed up at her with hope in her green eyes, "Of course I don't mind. You know, I've been lonely lately, anyway. And that room is so big."

"So you don't mind? Hitomi, there's always something else we could do-" She looked uneasy, as if she didn't want to even ask her in the first place.

"No, no, no!" Hitomi refused, smiled kindly at the woman who was like her second mother. "It would be fun to have a roommate. You know, I've never really had to deal with something like that before, anyway, since I couldn't afford tuition _and_ housing. It'll be fun."

The smile on her aunt's face was brilliant, "Thank you so much, Hitomi!" The woman got up and hugged her. "You know," she smiled and laughed, "I'm going to need a decorator for the baby's room!"

"You mean…you're already…but I thought that it was only a…" Hitomi's eyes were wide. "You should have told me!"

"I know, I know," Maria blushed, "I didn't want to pressure you. We've only just found out. But you're really sweet for doing this."

Hitomi sighed, and gave Maria a squeeze in their embrace, "No, you and Uncle have done a lot for me over these past few years. Don't worry about it. A baby, huh? Do you know what you're going to name it yet?"

Maria shook her head, but smiled.

"All right then, let's find me a roommate!"

"Okay." Maria smiled and Hitomi could see that now she was in the mood to get down to business, and they both sat down again. "Let's start with putting up some flyers for information. Do you think after church tomorrow that you could post some up around campus?"

"Sure thing. I'll do it first thing in the morn-"

Maria flashed Hitomi a frown, "Hitomi…Mass."

Hitomi groaned, "Si, si, and confession, too. I'll do it after then."

"Great!" Maria beamed. "Let's go type up a flyer, and the get you in an apron!"

Hitomi shrugged her shoulders and followed her energetic Aunt into the back room. Maria Degasso Cloc, the black sheep of the Degasso family, and Hitomi's favorite Aunt, was all about putting things into action. Hitomi sighed as she thought about the changes she'd have to get used to. A roommate? She'd been fortunate to never have to deal with pot-luck or anything at dorms, so at least now she could _decide_ what kind of roommate she would have.

Hitomi couldn't help but feel a little upset about it, though, with her Aunt and Uncle's happiness seeping out from their every move these days, she wouldn't dare show it. She braced herself inwardly for the change to come. Her open-aired apartment upstairs was about to become much smaller…

* * *

That Sunday, Van had finally found time to go look at the bulletin boards posted around campus to see if he could find some sort of advertisement for someone looking for a roommate. He would have just looked at the college newspaper's classifieds, but he finally managed some free time between studying and writing scores. He couldn't remember spending so much time on ONE chord in front of his electrical piano, trying to find the right notes to fit between the alto and baritone voices in the practice composition piece that would reach a nice end – the finale. He needed a walk, if only to clear his mind. Plus, the day was a bit cooler, the muggy heat from Friday forgotten as he realized that soon fall weather would be upon the school. His favorite time of the year.

As he walked, looking disinterested at the flyers in front of him – he realized, with slight dismay, that there were few roommate-lookers about. He peered at some notes, numerous bands advertising, club announcement invitations. Finally he found a few potentials at this board, and, pulling one of the information stubs off of the flyer, he was suddenly distracted as a vision in blue walked with purpose, straight towards him!

She looked slightly mussed, as if she were annoyed from some reason. Her shoulder-short maple hair flew about the sides of her face, her green eyes flashing. She wore long, tight dark blue jeans and a sky blue t-shirt, simple but appealing. Her saddle-esque bag was flapping open with lime-green sheets poking out the top. Her sandal-clad feet slapped forcefully against the concrete of the sidewalk as she headed towards the 4-sided board on the street corner, and Van couldn't help but smirk. Yes-she looked very annoyed, purposeful, and intent on finishing whatever she was doing as soon as possible. She obviously didn't know he was on the other side, for she, intent on completing her task, hurried to post the green flyer on each of the cork walls.

Hitomi was in a hurry – that was for sure. The sooner that she got all of these damned flyers up, the better. She desperately needed to practice her piano before her early Monday piano class. She inwardly cursed herself for registering for such an early class. 8AM! Bah! Most of her friends didn't even wake up until 9!

"How unfair…" She muttered to herself, turning the corner of the board to post on the last wall. But, her plight was stopped short as she waltzed – SMACK! - right into something hard.

She cursed under her breath as she clamped her hand around her nose and rubbed it, "Hey, what're-"

She took in a sharp breath as she realized the hard, unmoving, broad chest belonged to a face that was staring intently down on her.

Crimson-wood eyes.

Hitomi gasped – again!

The eyes held warmth and humor in them, something she acutely remembered of only seeing faintly two nights before. "Hitomi, do you usually talk to yourself?" He dipped his head down cutely, his raven bangs falling in small wisps to shield his beautiful eyes from her. The caught-off-guard female could only blush.

Hitomi! Snap out of it! Her inner, strong voice quipped, and with slight indignation, Hitomi huffed her reddening cheeks away as she heightened her nose in the air – a little childishly.

"Well, aren't you going to say something?" He asked lightly, shoving his hand in his pockets, curious as to what exactly she was pinning up.

The words reminded her of two nights ago, and Hitomi knew her line. She managed a small smile as she pinned up the flyer silently, and turned around to face him. "Don't be a jerk," She said lightly, meeting his gaze, but this time without contempt.

Van felt his throat tighten when he saw the brilliance in her green eyes. Had he noticed how clear they were before? Van visibly relaxed, and smiled.

Hitomi suddenly also remembered the last thing she had asked him that night, and a frown replaced her flustered, yet happy, expression. Van noticed the change and suddenly went stolid. How did she manage to relax him so much? It was unnatural of him. When a curt nod, he said something that sounded like an "I'll see you later", and turned to leave, without filling his curiosity to see what she had posted.

"Wait – Van!" Hitomi felt an urgency to make amends to her tactless judgment on Friday. She hadn't meant to be so….bitchy.

He turned, string at her stonily, expectantly.

That face didn't help her plight. She bit her lip in a self-conscious move – Van's eyes rested on the pink mouth, momentarily distracted. Gods! He was hopeless! He was getting very angry at himself…why WAS he acting so…so…_attracted_ to her?

"I…Van, I'm sorry about what I said before you left on Friday. I didn't mean to be so harsh and judgmental. You didn't deserve that – especially after helping me clean up and walking me to my door. I guess I was just a little…uneasy, you know?" She looked up to meet his gaze, trying to keep her voice away from too much seriousness.

Nevertheless, that was not what he was expecting for her to say. Van's mouth was slightly agape, his stony expression blank from confusion.

Hitomi took this in and managed to stifle a giggle. "Van, you okay? You do know what an apology is, right?" Her body visibly relaxed as she adjusted her bag's strap and looked up at him with a smile.

Her honesty was endearing – and made him blush. But suddenly remembering that she HAD been right in her assumption, Van didn't see it in himself to be so harsh on his judgment of her as he had been - so snappy after that comment, and he felt a little ashamed. That was what made his cheeks light up. Van felt exposed, horrified at his boyish behavior, which seemed to increase every time she was around – which was now only twice. Hitomi's head dipped much like his had done just earlier to get a better look at him when he said nothing, her perceiving green eyes open and honest.

Van didn't feel like playing with such honesty. "Don't worry about it," He finally managed out, the smallest of smiles – more like a smirk – resting on his curved mouth.

Hitomi seemed very happy that he had accepted her apology, as if a weight had been lifted from her shoulders. Van let go of a breath of air, and he stepped forward to look at her flyer. "So what are you advertising?" He asked friendly, again surprising them both.

Hitomi saw his robotic appearance drift into oblivion. She decided that she really liked this Van, this day-Van on this Sunday, leaning over to look at her flyer, his hair dark and complimenting to his tanned, olive skin, warm from summer, highlighted by a black shirt, hanging over his tan shorts just slightly, that seemed to hug his narrow hips just right – so that they fell comfortably down his tall, strong-legs. The shirt really highlighted his chest, broad and sloping at the shoulders, slightly disproportional with their broadness compared to his waist – like a swimmer's body. He was a slim man, perhaps at one point gangly. But with arms like that – there was no doubting his strength. Hitomi waited while he read the green flyer, his eyebrow quirking up questionably as he looked at the stubs. For a gasping moment, Hitomi almsot thought that he had caught her staring at him, his invoking eyes peering over the flyer while she was taking him in. With a light blush, she had quickly looked away.

Van smirked. He _had_ noticed it! His ego inflamed a bit, an heleaned back and brought a hand to the collar of his black t-shirt thoughtfully (_almost_ self-consciously), running his fingers across his jaw. Hitomi could see the grears and turns in his mind from the expression, "So you're looking for a roommate…" She didn't catch the hitch in his voice, but did notice the slight accent, sometimes picthing vowels a little lower or hight, stressing some syllables more than they would in an easy conversation. He was enthralling!

"Um, yeah." She nodded stupidly.

Van looked back at the contact name on the flyer. _Maria Cloc_…..CLOC….he knew that name. It was too usual…where was it from? He knew it…surely…

"Maria Cloc, is she your mother?"

Hitomi was silent for a second, and Van definitely felt a weird vibe, "No," She said after the flash of uneasiness, "She's my aunt."

This seemed to ruffle Van a bit as stared at the number, and couldn't help it as the gears in his head started to turn a little wickedly. Perhaps it was fate…and as he looked at the beautiful, intriguing girl he had only met a few nights ago, Van was sure. Why the hell not?

Hitomi watched him with muted curiosity as he smiled eerily. Now, in the short time she knew the man, he didn't seem to smile much, and one that came so easily to the man was a little unnerving. She suddenly felt self-conscious. "What're you grinning about?" She asked, perhaps a little too heatedly.

"Oh…_nothing_," He lied intentionally, looking at her. "I'll be seeing you around, _Hitomi_." And the way he said her name came back to the green-eyed girl with a surge of blood to her cheeks. His glinting dark eyes pierced her straight through as he took a leaning step forward and placed his hand on the board beside her, caging her in, in a way she knew from Friday at the café. He got just close enough to make her flush again, backing away, unsure of herself. Van chuckled inwardly – he didn't realize how innocent she really was until now! How could such a girl get so flustered over a matter of _space_? Van was beyond intrigued. He saw her gulp as she failed to return his farewell, just as last time.

Hitomi paused, blinking as she finally regained her senses from the unusual closeness as the man walked away, with that same haughtiness and confidence with himself walking as he possessed while standing, speaking.

_Jeeze, he acts as if he was noble blood or something!_ Hitomi thought with a pang of jealousy. Why wasn't she able to muster such grace? Wasn't she the dancer, after all?

But the fact remained that Hitomi Kanzaki-Degasso, off of a stage, was totally _without_ grace.

She gritted her teeth. Next time – she promised herself, never doubting that there WOULD be a next time – he wouldn't embarrass her! Not once! She swore, not once would she blush!

Looking back at the board to look at her flyer again, she found it completely gone. With puzzlement, Hitomi pinned up another one, and continued on with her task. "I swore that I had already put one up…"She didn't even think of the one Van had taken.

And as much as she wanted to get this done as soon as possible, her mind was slowed as it mulled softly in the depths of certain red-brown eyes. With irritation, Hitomi tried to shove down what she thought was a simple boy-craziness. If anything,itwas just lust at first sight.

She took another green flyer, and stapled it randomly to a telephone pole. Her mind was so muddled by the exchange, though, with the raven-haired beauty, that she failed to see that it was up-side down. And so went her day…

* * *

Van waited for an answer patiently, and after four rings, someone finally picked up the phone, "Espanola Café, this is Maria speaking."

"Senora Cloc?" Van asked, smiling into his cell phone.

"Um, yes," She said, unused to a stranger who was obviously, by the accent, not Spanish, addressing her as such. It reminded her of her mother. "That is me."

"My name is Van Fanel, and I was calling about that available room…"

"Fanel!" Maria gasped. Van could practically see her excitement as she breathed again, "_Fanel?_ As in Gaou and Varie Fanel?"

Van smiled - He knew it! "Yes, that's me. I'm kind of in a tight position, and I need someplace to live for the rest of the year..."

* * *

Until next time – soon!

Cev

* * *

**Translation:**

**"_I can't believe that you did this!_" **

**Van groaned at his mother's sharp tone, "Mom... it wasn't my fault." **

**"How can this not be your fault? How did this happen!" **

**Van sighed. How was he supposed to explain this to his mother? He took to big breath. He had to explain - his parents were the ones paying for all of this, anyway... "There was to girl in my room, and my Floor Advisor -" **

**"Are you serious!" Her voice was trembling with anger, "I HAVE RAISED YOU BETTER THAN THAT!" Varie bellowed over the phone. Van held it away from his ear, reddening and closing his eyes in irritation. It really wasn't his fault this time! "How DARE you!" She raged, "Van Slanzar, you irresponsible-"**

**He tried to defend himself, "Mother! Listen to me! We weren't doing anything, she just barged into my room uninvited, and my Floor Advisor came in. I didn't ask her to be to there! It was a mistake, just a misunderstanding!" **

**"As if a _misunderstanding_ caused all of this! I understand perfectly! You should come home, I can't believe you would dishonor us like this... "**

"**It WAS NOT my fault!" Van was losing ground. There was not way he could speak to his mother about this calmly, "Mother - put Papá on the phone, please? Let me talk to him."**

**figlio "son" Italian**

**Siamo perdenti lui We're losing him Italian**

**sobrina "niece" Spanish**


	4. Song Four: Non Poco a Poco!

**Hello Hello! How did I ever get this far without updating? It's been eons, I know, not since my first break from school. It's that awful? I'm SO SO SO incredibly sorry. I feel so terrible about it, you have no idea! It took me so long to get up the courage to start writing again. I must say, I've changed a lot since I last updated, especially with this story. I'm afraid that until I can go back and rewrite things in a more mature manner, sometimes it'll seem as if I'm inconsistent with what I've posted before. I'm sorry about that, too.**

**Anyway, here you go. Thank you for waiting, and I'm so sorry, again. Please review when you're finished, I don't care if you complain to high heaven about my laziness! I really do love you guys. And I miss hearing from you even more.**

**So enjoy!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own Escaflowne or its characters. But I wish I had a Dilandau de mio sola ;;**

* * *

**Φίλημα των ματιών της μουσικής** /

**Baciare Gli Occhi Di Musica** /

**Kissing the Eyes of Music**

Song Four: Non Poco a Poco!

* * *

For the umpteenth time that night, Van wondered if he was really making a good decision. It was almost 2AM and he still wasn't finished packing up his room properly - even with Gaddess' help. Not for the first time, Van found himself extremely grateful for Gaddess' unquestionable friendship. Since he kept to a small group of friends, many people considered the dark-haired guitarist aloof and quiet, but Gaddess was unflinchingly stable. Though it certainly would be an adventure rooming above the Cloc's cafe, Van would miss Gaddess' calm. Still, he thought, picking up random desk supplies and placing them in a box, being there would be a big change, and though he wasn't sure how it would play out dynamically, he couldn't wait to get moved in over there.

"It looks like you've got pretty much everything now," Gaddess said after a while, finally folding in the top of the last box and sitting back in his bed, tired.

Van ran a hand through his raven hair and looked around, mentally checking things off in his head, "Yeah - this is it. I still need to buy some furniture for all of this crap when I get there."

Gaddess smiled, "I'm surprised you're this eager to leave. You really don't have to until Friday."

"I know," Van said, getting up to turn off the lights and collapse into his bed, his mind full of things he needed to do tomorrow - _besides_ go to class. "But if I wait until then I'll be bogged down by assignments and things I have to do for class. I just want to get it over with."

"Is that just it?" Gaddess' voice was sly and joking. Van rolled his eyes. "You seem excited about leaving...who exactly are you living with?"

"Hmm...jealous, are we?"

"No, just concerned for the third party." Gaddess chuckled.

Van gave an undignified snort. "Whatever - you know you'll miss the honor it is to live with me." He drawled snottily, his slant smile leaving Gaddess glowering.

The dark-haired man looked at his friend mournfully. Van's eyebrows lifted up, "What?"

"O, Van!" Gaddess wailed, jumping out of his bed and smothering Van's face with his pillow, "I'll miss you **SOOO** much!"

Van's flailing eventually propelled Gaddess to the floor, who was laughing heartily. "What are you, the comic relief?" Van glared, "You've been spending too much time around Dilandau."

"Tut tut," Gaddess said gaily, wagging a finger, "Such a grouch."

"Go to sleep, you menace!" Van returned his friend's pillow - walloping him in the face. Gaddess conceded with a laugh, and jumped into his comforter without another word.

Van heard him fall asleep almost immediately. He let out a sigh, and thought about what his friend had said. 'Excited'? It was true that he was excited about moving in with the Cloc family and learning more about Hitomi - undoubtedly. He couldn't figure out why he was so interested in her. In all actuality she was pretty normal - or seemed so as far as he knew her. The only thing he could surmise about her character was that she seemed to have an exceptional temper - like his, but, unlike him, had a deep, intrinsic kindness and _mercy_. But still, he was only teasing her in the two times he had seen her. He had teased lots of girls before offhandedly, though - he almost blushed again at this when his mind seemed to rebel, _'But that's as far as your twisted, dark mind got, eh??'_. Van's face twisted into a scowl at himself - how ridiculous! He had neither time nor patience for needy girls that seemed way too willing to let him have his way with them. Another reason why he had never promised any girl anything, and just stood stoically. He wondered how on earth that was translated into suspicions of a 'bad reputation', which eventually turned into rumor, and, not much later, became a 'fact' many people in and out of the dorms knew. True - he had brought some girls into his dorm before, but most of the time it was to deliberately piss off his floor advisor/ RA. Of course, now, he was paying for it.

Whatever. He was leaving that behind and taking this opportunity to start anew. The first semester of his junior year was just starting, perhaps it was his time to start doing things a little differently.

So Van convinced himself that his excitement was solely for the changes that would ensue across his life after tomorrow, even though a good portion was looking forward to seeing Hitomi's bright eyes every day. But truly, the usually stoic man would try to change. How much time had he spent lately dredging through life as if it were a dark, bleak thing? Smoking all the time, spending most of it alone, allowing girls like Kira to do or say whatever they wanted. Even his compositions lately had been pretty dark and dreary - more suited to fit the soundtrack of a tragedy. What kind of existence was that? That cafe on Friday was so bright - orange, yellow, red, pink - fiery colors of life that he used to see all of the time.

Yes. A change would be good.

* * *

Hitomi could not have scowled deeper. It was almost 6PM in the evening, and she had just gotten out of her technique class. She was tired, hungry, and had no idea how she would be able to stand up to work at the cafe's register. Not only that, but she had to finish up a paper for her Art History class, due tomorrow afternoon. There was no way she could finish it with her early morning shift the next day.

She plopped down in a seat on her bus, crowded with the usual amount of people that went back home around this time. Sitting there in the aisle, red-faced from her workout, usually poised posture slack for want of rest, Hitomi couldn't help becoming depressed. Her 8AM had not gone well - for some reason or another, Professor Dornkirk didn't like her, and meant to make a point of it every time her fingers hit the keys. She was so bristling at the unfairness at it all - to have such an early class and such an ill-mannered professor, too! It just didn't seem worth it. He was turning the instrument into one of her least favorites, too, something she completely held against the old fart. Why couldn't she have gotten into Professor Balgus' class? Every piano student always had great things to say about him! He was such a good conductor, too - Dornkirk always flailed around like some crazy bird or something. Totally annoying with the baton.

She sighed deeply through her nose, trying to accept her bad luck in registration. Next semester wouldn't be as bad. For now, she just needed to keep on convincing herself every morning to make it to Dornkirk's class.

At least the day was coming to an end and she could get some well-deserved rest after helping Maria out. Hitomi got out of the bus with a lighter step than when she got on, determined not to let things get her down. It was a daily ritual.

As usual, Maria was busy behind the counter handling drink orders while Ben cooked in the back. Millerna was bustling around as waitress with one other girl named Adriane. The place was pretty popular with Adante students, so the girl pouring over scores at one table with a partner was not unusual - neither was the group of people humming along to a tune one guy was playing out at the open piano that was pushed up against a divider. It was crowded today. Hitomi mentally prepared herself.

"Good evening, dulce mia!" Maria said from the counter, kissing Hitomi on the cheek. "I have really good news!"

"hm?" Hitomi was barely paying attention, putting her short hair into a ponytail and putting her stuff away so she could get ready to serve people.

"Someone called about rooming with you yesterday!" Maria said excitedly.

That caught her attention, "Already?!" Hitomi exclaimed, really surprised.

Maria nodded happily, "I can't wait for you to meet him! He's actually a family friend's son, so it's-"

"What?!" Hitomi's eyes bulged - her hands freezing in the middle of tying her apron, "You're letting a BOY live with me?! Tia, what has gotten into you? Couldn't you have wa-"

"Hitomi, Hitomi!" Maria cut her off with a wave, "I know what you're thinking - but really, it's okay! I've known this boy since he was this high-" Maria held her hand to her hip "-and have known his mother for years. He's not like regular messy boys, don't worry. His family's from Italy, you know! O, you have no idea how excited I am about this!"

Hitomi watched her Aunt make her way into the back to get something for a customer. She was frozen in place.

What. The. Hell?!?!?!

First, how on Earth did that happen so quickly? Second, How did her Tia EVER agree to let a GUY room with her? She was almost as conservative as Hitomi's grandmother, which was saying something - since the old woman was deeply Catholic, very traditional, and looked disapprovingly at any small display of public affection - even holding hands was looked down upon! She must have some kind of unfailing faith in this boy - or at least his family. _Or_, Hitomi thought a little cynically, _he's in a tight spot and offered Tia a large rent._

Hitomi flushed and immediately regretted thinking that. She would have to put up with it. Things weren't as easy as they had been for Maria and Ben, and Maria always had Hitomi's best interests at heart. Still, it would be a big change. Hitomi had never _really_ lived with a man before, and even having a roommate was a new concept to her. She supposed it would be a definite trial in patience.

_Well!_ She thought grumpily, trying not to show it on her face to customers, _I better not wake up one morning to a horrifying bathroom, or else I'll be sucked dry of patience!_

Millerna shuffled over to her friend in between fetching orders, and put a hand on Hitomi's shoulder. Hitomi looked up to see the mischievous expression she always dreaded seeing on her best friend's face, "What now?"

Millerna giggled, patting her friend on the back consolingly, "Auntie told me. I can't believe it! I hope you're not stuck with some weird, anti-social geek. Wouldn't that be the only way she'd consent to it?"

Hitomi gulped in fear - _just_ _wouldn't that_ be the only reason! She groaned, "Don't tell me that - that would be so awkward!"

Millerna gave a hearty laugh at Hitomi's dread, sashaying off to receive plates of food from the window, catching many a male eye in the process. Hitomi gave a little exasperated sigh at Millie's antics, but fear still clutched her chest. What if that really was the case? That would be the worst case scenario! She continued serving until 10, thinking of her impending doom. O why o why did she agree to this?

* * *

_The worst-case scenario..._

Hitomi's hand paused right above her door handle, and she tried to will herself to grab and twist. _Just grab and twist...just open it!_

So she did.

Her eyes widened at the sight.

Books.

Everywhere!

They were unpacked, piled one on top of the other in stacks **all** over the living area- on the tables, on chairs, on the floor. Stacked, thrown, left open, piled! Boxes whose contents were unknown sat on top of one another supporting more books. A twin mattress, also piled upon with books of all sizes, lay between her couch and piano. And - gasp! ON TOP OF THE PIANO! STACKS and STACKS AND-

**THAT WAS IT! Where was this guy?!** Hitomi threw her stuff into a chair next to the TV, knocking over a stack of encyclopedias, and stormed through the large studio, upturning things to find this guy. Why was there so much stuff haphazardly thrown about, and WHY were there SO many BOOKS?! **EVERYWHERE!** She was about to check the balcony - moving a stack out of the way of one of the doors, when male voices interrupted her storm.

"Dilandau, stop being such a wuss. If you'll just lift it up just a little we can - "

That voice was extremely familiar! But a huge bookcase blocked her view from the second person. No matter - her light-haired nitwit of a friend was standing in _her_ door, _moving_ things in! "**DILANDAU!!**"

The man visibly jumped, causing him to drop the bookcase end he had - and, coincidentally, landing on his foot underneath.

The scream he emitted was awful! Hitomi cursed and clapped her hands to her ears. The bookcase was shoved roughly away from his foot, and he hopped away in devastating pain. He cursed wildly, bending over to clutch his foot, his face extremely red.

"Shit! Dilandau! How'd you-"

"Van?" Hitomi diverted her attention away from howling Dilly to the other man who was moving things in. The frantic Van looked at Hitomi with large eyes - deer in the headlights. She made short work of the space between her and Dilandau, frowning deeply at Van as she tried to help her friend.

"I'm okay, I'm okay," Dilandau repeated, waving her away, "It just shocked me, that's all." His face was still flushed, though, and his breath was short. He must be in a lot of pain, Hitomi thought.

"What is going on?" She asked briskly, eyeing the two warily, "Don't tell me you're my new roommate, Dilandau?"

Dilandau looked up at her in surprise, opening his mouth as if to say something, but nothing came out. He looked at Van inquisitively, "Didn't she know?"

Hitomi's eyebrow shot up, "What...?"

"Hey, Van, why are you just standing there?" another male voice called from the stairway, a box blocking his view. Dark hair peeked out and Gaddess appeared behind it. He noticed Hitomi, "Well...hello, little lady. Van, what's going on?"

"That's what I'd like to know," Hitomi growled, looking like she was out for murder.

Van seemed to gain control of his body once again after Gaddess had spoken, and he managed to shove the bookcase up against the nearest empty wall by himself. When he was finished, Hitomi was still glowering like a demon, and Gaddess hadn't said another word. Dilandau was still clutching his foot on the floor.

He flashed his best, brightest, fullest smile at Hitomi. "Hello...roommate!"

* * *

**:)!!!!!! I'm so excited! Things are in motion, eh? Once again, I'm so sorry it took me so long. After realizing how long it had been, I couldn't keep my head in the sand forever. It's just that I'm not sure about the direction I'm going to take my three in-progress stories right now, and life is so hectic, it's hard to concentrate on anything else but my top top priorities, which, I'm sorry to say, is not writing fanfiction.**

**But please don't lose faith in me! It's all those reviews that keep me going, and there's no way I'd bear the shame of leaving these things to rot in accumulated dust.**

**So review, my sweets, and leave criticism, kay?**

**Amor para todos!**

**Cev**


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